Nathan E. Lewis

Presented by Nathan Lewis to the Faculty and Staff of St. Stephen’s Academy, August 2010

One of the contributions of the Wisdom literature of the Bible is its distinguishing between knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge is the acquisition of God’s truth, not only facts but also insight and perspective. Wisdom is the right application of knowledge. Dr. Bruce Waltke, who has taught over the past 50 years at nearly every Evangelical and Reformed Seminary in North America, is the finest presenter of this distinction in our day. Building on Dr. Robert Alter’s knowledge of Hebrew poetry, especially it strongest feature, couplet parallelism, Waltke has not only distinguished wisdom from knowledge but he has also displayed their inseparable relationship. Hebrew parallel couplets most usually follow the form “A line what’s more B line.” In (8:1) not only does wisdom beckon us, but what’s more, knowledge beckons us. A Hebrew reader would expect the reverse order: Not only does knowledge beckon us but ever more so wisdom, the true mastery of knowledge beckons us. But the author desires us to see that at every level, even the rudimentary levels of our acquisition of revealed truth, we are beckoned.
In the classical method of learning we might easily apply this realizing that at our lowest levels of learning in the Grammar school, where we focus on the acquisition of facts, we are beckoned to follow God. This is one of the amazing gospel themes of the whole of Scripture: we do not have to achieve a certain level of learning, discipleship or mastery of virtue to hear the divine voice. Continue reading »

In the circles of the church I serve some parents are suspicious of youth ministries, reluctant to send their children to summer camp, mainly because of their childhood escapades and the trite nature of some youth programs. This suspicion is shared by some of my ministerial colleagues, who assign all youth ministry to the sphere of the family. For the past eight years, I have participated in hosting in the Pacific Northwest the youth camps of Reformed Youth Ministries. Each year we have offered a ratio of 1:4 to 1:6 (camper:staff) highlighting solid biblical and theological training mixed with fun recreation and enriching interaction, not to mention daily worship and prayer.
One of our counselors (a pastor) at our 2010 summer camp shared with me one good reason to send our youth to camp. He wrote:
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Psalm 4: 4
Be angry, and do not sin;
Ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent.

David, who wrote this Hebrew couplet also wrote in Psalm 37, “Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.” My personal experience is that I do better to obey Psalm 37 than to find a way to express my anger short of sinning. There must be a rare righteous indignation, but I have yet to experience it. The “A” line of a Hebrew couplet is often related to the “B” couplet in this fashion: “A what’s more, B.” The “B” line helps us to understand what David means in writing, “Be angry, and do not sin.” In the context of the “B” line, it means that the best way to be angry yet refrain from sinning is to keep your anger private. Uh Oh! Is David describing the destructive suppressed anger our counselors warn against? No, he is not recommending suppressed anger but noting that anger is rash. Were we to think first, we might find another response other than anger. We have been taught to think before we speak and now we are learning how to pause before we send an email. David would have us sleep on a troubling matter before any outburst. Continue reading »

In the most recent issue of the Smithsonian Magazine, Andrew Lawler writes an article, “Who Wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls?” Discovered in 1947 these 800 plus manuscripts have been made increasingly available to Jewish and Christian scholars collaborating and now more and more to the general populace. I have listed for your personal online exposure to these manuscripts sites that I have found interesting and helpful. Continue reading »

Come join him! Box office opens at 6 p.m. selling $5.00 tickets. Purchase drinks and food and eat dinner while you view Christopher Hitchens debate Doug Wilson concerning whether or not God exists. For more information about this film go to Collision and for more information about the event, go to the Bagdad.

Annually Evergreen PCA hosts a Catechism Camp for children. The theme is “International Adventures,” taking the children on a whirlwind tour of the world while studying he Apostle Paul’s three missionary journeys. This 2009 camp’s director, Rachel Werner, our summer intern, appointed me the task/privilege of teach the 30-minute Bible talks for the older grammar school kids. Here’s my outline…. Continue reading »

Which U.S.A. President made each of the following statements about Islam?

1) “There is a remarkable trend toward fundamentalism in all
religions, including the different denominations of
Christianity as well as Hinduism, Judaism, and Islam.
Increasingly, true believers are inclined to begin a process of
deciding: ‘Since I am aligned with God, I am superior and my
beliefs should prevail, and anyone who disagrees with me is
inherently wrong.’”

2) “Islam is a peace-loving faith that is practiced by more than one billion people, including millions of American Muslims.”

3) “The United States has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Muslims.”

4) “Among some Muslims, there’s a disturbing tendency to measure one’s own faith by the rejection of somebody else’s faith. The richness of religious diversity must be upheld.”

5) “Wherever the Mohammedans have had complete sway, wherever the Christians have been unable to resist them by the sword, Christianity has ultimately disappeared.”

Answer Key Continue reading »

“Common Grace and Christian Civility”
Titus 3: 1-2 and I Peter 2:11-17
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From swine flu

How to Catch the Swine Flu

Four Papers for St. Stephens Academy Presented by Nathan E. Lewis in March-April, 2009

The Classical School as an Extension of the Covenant Community – Space for Charity in Relationships

The Classical School as a Dispenser of All Truth – Space for Common Grace

The Classical School as a Ministry of the Church – Space for the Gospel

The Classical School as a Polisher of Christian Character – Space for Engagement of Culture